Familiar
Familiar spirits (sometimes referred to simply as "familiars" or "animal guides") were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. However, the Familiar must find their witch, rather than the other way around. Once chosen, it appears they cannot leave their master and find another one. In some cases, the magical practitioner then made an agreement or entered a pact with their familiar spirit. The length of time that the witch or cunning person worked with their familiar spirit varied between a few weeks through to a number of decades.In most cases, the magical practitioner would conjure their familiar spirit when they needed their assistance, although there are many different ways that they did this. Familiar spirits usually had names, and "were often given down-to-earth, and frequently affectionate, nicknames." One example of this was Tom Reid, who was the familiar of the cunning-woman and accused witch Bessie Dunlop, while other examples included Grizell and Gridigut, who were the familiars of 17th century Huntingdonshire witch Jane Wallis Familiars spend half their time as animals, and the other half as people, although it is unknown which half they start out as. A Familiar has free will, and can voice their own opinions, but cannot disobey a direct order from their master. Familiar spirits were most commonly small animals, such as cats, rats, dogs, ferrets, birds, frogs, toads, and hares. There were also cases of wasps and butterflies, as well as pigs, sheep, and horses. Familiar spirits were usually kept in pots or baskets lined with sheep’s wool and fed a variety of things including, milk, bread, meat, and blood. According to the records of the time, they would appear in numerous guises, often as an animal, but also at times as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional…forms, vivid with color and animated with movement and sound" by those alleging to have come into contact with them, unlike later descriptions of ghosts with their "smoky, undefined forms". When they served witches, they were often thought to be malevolent, while when working for cunning folk they were often thought of as benevolent (although there was some ambiguity in both cases). The former were often categorized as demons, while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as fairies. The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch, providing protection for them as they come into their new powers. It is claimed that a Familiar and their master share a special bond and would die for each other. Familiars are like tiny little librarians who specialize in magic. Although they are not all-knowing as they can make mistakes or misunderstand things. They are not limited to a certain area, however, they tend to lean specifically towards the kinds of magic the witch specializes in. They cannot preform magic themselves unless the witch has spelled/charmed them. Often one will see familiars with markings, collars with charms, and so on that hold power for the familiar to use. They can store magic in a way that is best described like bundling up electricity, giving the witch a 'burst' of power at any given time. Category:Beings Category:Spirit Category:Magic Category:Mythology Category:European